


Hot Chocolate with Cinnamon

by WordsAndWishes



Series: ACOTAR AU Week 2019 [1]
Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: F/M, coffee shop AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:14:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21736645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordsAndWishes/pseuds/WordsAndWishes
Summary: When Rhys is having a bad day, he stumbles into a coffee shop and finds a surprise with his order.
Relationships: Feyre Archeron/Rhysand
Series: ACOTAR AU Week 2019 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1566691
Comments: 4
Kudos: 76
Collections: ACOTAR AU Week





	Hot Chocolate with Cinnamon

It had all started three months ago, when Rhys had come into the shop after a particularly bad meeting with Hewn Incorporated. The rain had been coming down in torrents, and he was completely drenched after walking three blocks when it was completely pouring. Barely thinking straight, he had stormed into the nearest coffee shop. It was relatively quiet, with only two customers ahead of him in line and a few others scattered throughout. When he got to the front of the line, he stared blankly at the list of drinks on the menu.

“Hi, what can I get you today?” The barista asked brightly, in a typical helpful-customer-service voice, though he barely registered her.

“Uh…what do you recommend?” He stumbled.

“For someone who looks like they’ve had as bad of a day as you? A hot chocolate with cinnamon. It’s delicious.” That made him look up. Rhys drew his gaze away from the menu, looking towards her. She was – lovely. Hair drawn up in an artfully crafted bun with a few tendrils curling down – and the most exquisite eyes he had ever seen. Deep blue-gray, like the sea before a storm.

“I look that rough?” It came out sharp, stilted.

“You look like someone who’s just walked a mile in a rainstorm.” She gave him a half-smile.

He tried to manage one in return, but it probably came out as more of a grimace.

“In that case, I’ll take that hot chocolate. With extra cinnamon.”

“Coming right up, 3.25. Name?”

“Rhysand. Er...Rhys.” He stumbled, and she gave him a look.

"RhysanderRhys? That's your name?" A playful spark glinted in her eyes. 

"Uh...just Rhys. Rhys is fine." He clarified, fishing a ten out of his wallet.

She took the bill from his extended hand and gave him his change efficiently, turning around with a bit of a flourish.

Rhys turned from the counter, running a hand through his wet hair to push it out of his face, contemplating how his day had gone so wrong so quickly.

“Hot chocolate for Rhys. With extra cinnamon!” The barista called from the counter, holding the steaming cup.

“Thanks.” He mumbled, taking the cup and walking away. He strode to one of the windows that looked out onto the busy street, taking a sip. She was right – it was good with the cinnamon. Then, something on the styrofoam caught his eye.

Drawn in black sharpie was a cartoon cat, holding on with one paw to a tree branch. The caption “hang in there!” was scrawled beneath.

And he couldn’t help himself – he cracked a smile. The longer he stared at that cup, the bigger his smile grew. The cat’s cartoon features were well-drawn – especially considering how quickly the barista must have done it. _I should thank her._ But when he turned away from the window, she was gone.

“Excuse me – is the girl who was just serving over here still around?” He asked another barista, a college-aged guy with hair dyed blue.

He shook his head. “Her shift ended.” He didn’t provide any more details.

Rhys nodded. “Ah. Thanks anyway.” He walked away, a bit more spring in his step than before as the rain slowed to a drizzle outside.

A week later, bad luck had befallen Rhys again. He considered himself one not to mope and to roll with the punches, but he certainly wasn’t proving that lately. And he found himself back at the same coffee shop as before, half hoping the same barista would be there. He hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind – the drawing, her storm-blue eyes.

And she was, standing at the counter again. There were a few customers in line ahead of him, so he had plenty of time to study the menu before he was at the front. But he already knew what he was getting.

“One hot chocolate with cinnamon.” He requested, voice coming out raspier than he had expected.

The recognition had dawned in her eyes. “Another rough day?”

“Something like that.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re taking my advice to heart. Chocolate is good for you.”

He didn’t say anything, not able to come up with a quip to respond, and something like concern might have appeared on her face.

When he got his coffee this time, there was another drawing on it, this one of a bee with a speech bubble above its head, reading “I bee-lieve in you!” He couldn’t help it – he cracked another grin.

And so it continued for the next three months as Rhys went through some of the worst times in his life – he would come in and order a cup of hot chocolate. Sometimes in a fog, sometimes livid. Sometimes, he felt fine, but still ordered the hot chocolate. Eventually, the days began to get better. 

Which brought him to today. Walking in the same coffee shop, not in a bad mood at all. He didn’t see Feyre – he had finally learned her name a few weeks back – at the register, and tried to crane his neck nonchalantly to see if she was working. And – there. She stood by the expresso machine, back to the door.

He got in line anyway, not even bothering to pretend to glance at the menu. He knew what he was getting. And somehow, Feyre managed to be at the register by the time he reached the front of the line.

“Let me guess – hot chocolate with extra cinnamon?” She asked dryly.

“How did you guess?” He plucked a five from his wallet, extending a hand for her to take it.

A smile as she took the bill. “You know, I recommended that drink to someone who was having a bad day. But you seem to be doing just fine right now. You seem to be consuming an awful lot of it.”

“True. But maybe I have other reasons.”

“No, I do.”

“So order something new! You’ve been drinking way too much of it to possibly be healthy.”

He stifled a laugh. “You want to know why I’ve been buying so much hot chocolate lately? It’s because _someone_ keeps drawing on my cups, and I think that they’re quite talented.”

Feyre blushed. “Well, maybe _someone_ was drawing on the cups because they thought you were handsome and thought you needed some cheering up.

Rhys thought he could feel his heart beating out of his chest. “Is that so?”

She nodded, a smile playing on her lips. “I’ll get that hot chocolate for you right away.” Before he could say more, she had hurried away, cup in her hand as she disappeared behind a coffee machine and was partially hidden from his view.

Bemused, he waited for his beverage. They had danced on the line of flirtation for a few weeks now, but never quite as outright as today. Yet, he wasn’t left to his thoughts for long. His name was called even quicker than usual.

Feyre handed him the warm cup. “I expect to hear from you later.”

“What?” Before he could ask, she turned away to work on the next order, and Rhys watched her go. When he checked for a drawing on the side of his cup, there was none. Instead, a phone number was scrawled in that familiar handwriting.

And though there was no drawing to be found, a grin still spread across his face as he pulled out his phone.


End file.
